Romans 10:14-17
How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them? And how can anyone tell them without being sent by the Lord? The Scriptures say it is a beautiful sight to see even the feet of someone coming to preach the good news. Yet not everyone has believed the message. For example, the prophet Isaiah asked, "Lord, has anyone believed what we said?"
No one can have faith without hearing the message about Christ.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
It is said that some dogs recognize the hum of their owner’s car motor. And surely more than one of us has had a pet… particularly a dog… that seemed to know when we were arriving and ran to greet us. To them, we must be “a beautiful sight to see.” Think about how excited your pets are to see you… how glad they are to be in your presence. Think about how they trust you to see after their needs… to nurture them and love them unconditionally.
Who else is eager to see you? Are others glad to “see your feet coming?” Do you represent joy and peace and the love of Christ? Do you share how God has blessed you and spread His good news with others?
Consider this… if all others see of you is someone who is negative, griping, complaining, and “mad at the world,” do you suppose they get a good picture of the love of Jesus? Even if you think you are “sharing the Gospel,” if your message is continually one that tells others, “This world is coming to an end”… or speaking negatively about this group or that one… are you offering others a message of hope and faith?
See, what we say and how we say it matters. “But you can’t sugar coat the truth!” you may say. I agree. Satan is real. Sin is real. We live in a “fallen world.” But beating people over the head with this is not helping. In fact, don’t we all know people who cause us to cringe and want to hide when they approach, simply because we know that they are going to present a negative attitude or message?
Think about the image you are projecting. Think about what you are saying with your body language and your attitude. Consider the words you speak and how you say them. Are you someone whose very feet present a “beautiful sight to see” for Christ… or do you make others want to run in the opposite direction? We all need to be good witnesses for the Lord… but I honestly don’t think He’s sending us out to be grumps! It’s one thing to share the message of Christ with others… but it’s quite another to share it in a way that makes them want to listen!
How are you sharing your faith with others? What sort of image are you presenting? Are you a “beautiful sight to see” or a grump? Who wants to hear what you have to share these days? Are you living your faith in a way that honors Christ… or disheartens Him? Ask God to help you work on your Christian witness. Ask Him to grant you grace and mercy… and to make you a “beautiful sight to see” in His name.
©2010 Debbie Robus
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